Self-propelled carriage



Feb. 20, 1951 L. TROMBETTA 2,542,846

' SELF-PROPELLED CARRIAGE Filed March 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l [oi-e Lou/3 Tram be zza INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 T OFFICE SELF-PROPELLED CARRIAGE Louis Trombetta, New York, N. Y.

Application March 17, 1945, Serial No. 583.296

'7 Claims. 1 My invention relates to self propelled carriages capable of moving about a templet while guiding, supporting and holding burning, sawing, welding, grinding or tracing machines or the like.

As all free travelling carriages, heretofore made for use with templets, for holding and guiding burning or other elements have been able to operate only horizontally no attention has been paid to simplicity and size and as a result they are cumbersome, large, inefficient and are diflicult to set up and cannot be easily transported.

It is an object of my invention to construct my carriage so that it can operate universally in any plane.

Another object is to construct a carriage which will follow the form of the templet to a high degree of accuracy.

A further object is to construct a carriage which can travel about a templet held vertically or at any desired angle.

An additional object is to construct a simple, light carriage which can be easily carried about, quickly set up and which will travel about the templet at a relatively high speed.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the specifications and shown in the accompanying drawings.

I accomplish thes and other object by forming my carriage of a design suitable for use with an angled templet, one leg of the templet being welded or otherwise joined to the work at its edge and the second leg being offset and parallel to the work and providing the carriage with two bearing wheels at one end of the carriage and a pivot bearing wheel at the other end of the carriage and supplying a removable under body to the carriage comprising two spring held pressure wheels capable of exerting pressure against the welded leg of the templet and a third pressure wheel capable of exerting pressure against the free leg of the templet and a power driven traction wheel on the carriage functioning under the spring pressure of the spring pressure wheels against the side of the welded leg of the templet opposite the two pressure wheels.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an under view of my new carriage burner holder; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail at the control end along the line 22 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is an end view of the control end of the carriage with the control Wheel partly broken away; Fig. 4 is a side view with the casing broken away and Fig. 5 is an end view with the casing broken away.

In the drawing and specification, like numerals indicate identical elements. My carrier or carriage I is formed with a framework comprised of a base 2, casing 3 extending about the base and upwardly and having a top 4 and offset side walls 5. The burner or other machine is held on top by a conventional burner holder 6 secured to the top in any suitable manner. If desired the burner holder could be secured to the side of the casing.

A motor 1 is secured to the casing and base and through its shaft 8, gears (not shown) enclosed in the gear box 9 and the vertical shaft 9A which extends downward through the sleeve 10 in the opening MA in the base 2 rotates the knurled, toothed or serrated traction wheel I l and supplies the motivating power to the carriage.

The carriage is supported at one end by two bearing wheels [2 located one near each side and at the other end by the carriage-pivoting wheel IZA located midway between the sides. The two Wheels [2 are carried on axles [3 held by the forked bearings M which are pivotally secured to the lower ends of the rods H5. The rods l5 extend through the coiled springs l6, openings in the base lined with the sleeves l l and upward through openings in the opposite ends of the cross bar I9.

The coiled springs exert pressure against both the under face of the base and the bearings l4 and tend to lift the carriage. The nuts 20 above and below the base 2 on the sleeves hold them in position and the sleeves guide the rods 15. The upper ends of the rods below the ends of the cross bar 19 ar threaded and carry the nuts 2| to partially transmit to the rods the control of the crossbar l9. Rods I5 also have nuts 2 I secured to them, above the cross bar l9, by pins 2| to further transmit to them the control of the cross bar [9. A tension screw 22 with its head above the top 4 extends through the casing and is screwed through the crossbar and held from vertical movement but with free rotation by the flange ring 23 secured to the gear box 9. This tension screw 22 controls the tension in the coiled springs and the elevation of the base of the carriage through its movement of the crossbar and rods l5.

Below and secured to the under face of the base 2 are the guides 24 which slideably carry the under carriage comprised of cross element 25 near the outer end of the guides and the inner cross element 26 near the inner end of the guides.

Rods 27 are positioned adacent to and extend through the ends of the cross elements and terminate at their inward extending ends in bearings 28 carrying pressure wheels 29 which together with the driving wheel ll function in a plane at right angles to the stance of the machine. A center rod 30, threaded and carrying the nut 3| 3 at its outer end, extends through the center of the cross element and terminates at a cross bar 32 to which it is held by the pin 33. The cross bar 32, positioned between the cross elements 25 and 25, is provided with openings through which the rods 2'! pass and to which it is pivotally held by the pins 34. Coiled springs 35 encircle the rods 2'! and and exert pressure against the cross element 25 and cross bar 32.

A locking-means holding the cross element 25in position against the pressureof the springs-'35 is comprised of an arm pivoted to the cross element, a locking pin 31 resting in an opening" 38 in the base 2 and a spring 39 whichynormallyaholds the pin 3i in an engaged position in the opening.

The pivot bearing wheel I2A is-carried1byan axle 4i! and bearing 4| formed in :the-underqpart of the cross element 25.

The inner cross element 26 is provided'with the inward extending side arm 42 carrying the The machine operates .by following a templet formed of-an angle iron 44 positioned with the free leg"-45- parallel to and spaced from the work and With the edge of the other leg '46 tackwelded or otherwise attached or; held to the: work and outlining the path of travelofythe working eleiment. The carriage is prepared and positioned for work in thefollowing manner; (1) The base *is-set in -position over the templet with the under carriage-removed in such a manner that the periphery of the traction wheel butts or is in contact-'withthe outside face of the welded: leg 45 and the leg 45-extends toward the guideway, (2)

the'unoler carriage is then slid into the guideway=untilthe pin 37 is caught in the hole of the base, (3); thenut' 3| is then released permitting the springs 35 to forcethe pressure wheels 29 against the inside face ofthe welded leg, the

force of the, spring being transmitted in the other direction through the :crosselement 25,-1ocking pin 37-, base 2 and sleeve lil-to cause the traction -wheel II to grip firmly'the. outside; face .of the same legand the pressure wheel 43 to restpositioned under the leg 45 of the angle iron; ,(4), the

head; of the' tension screw 22' is then turned, forcing the springs IS- to raisethe. base 2 and under carriage. and cause the pressure wheel 43 to 'move into intimate contact with and j exert pressure against the underside of the leg-45 of the angle iron, (EU-now the motor is started which through its gears and shafts rotatesthe traction wheel which in turn revolves and travels pulling the carriage along the templet.

I The fact that the rods 21 are only .pivotally attached to the center pinned but otherwise free crossbar 32 and have considerable'play about the-pivots allows the-pressure wheels 29 to act independently of each other which. will-permit the carriage te-travel along a templet curved into an oval, archway circle or a sufficiently rounded a corner joining to straight sides.

The machine can'function upside 1 down as in. --this"position-'thepressure wheel 43 is above-the 1. free leg of theangle and supports the machine while bearing wheels i2 and IZA-act as'pressure template. The leg or flange-4:5 ofr the template serves as a plate-like retaining strip with which the retaining wheel 43 cooperates to retain the carriage against the surface along which it travels when the carriage is functioning upside 5 down or moving on a vertically disposed surface.

Although I have shown and described my carriage in its main form many variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the ideas conveyed in the drawings and specifi- 10 cation and so I -desire to'cover allmodifications,

forms and' embodiments of my *invention which may come within the scope and language of any and all of the claims.

I claim:

.1. A. template-guided self-propelled carriage "'adapted forum with a template having a plate- .ilike guidina-strimdisposed substantially at right anglesto the plane of thework over which the carriage is to be guided and a plate-like retain- 20 ing strip disposed substantially parallel to the :plane -of the. work}: said carriage comprising a base, supportingwheels 1 at one: side of the base,

51a guideway on the-loase, an undercarriage; slidably mounted in-saidguideway; a:-carria-g e-:piv0ting wheel carriediby! the. under'carriageand loac'ated at the opposite-side 'ofgthe base from-the first m'entioned L supporting wheels, a Latraction wheel on the carriage and: mounted :torot'ate in a plane substantiallyparallel to the-plane of the 30 w work :for engagement-with one 'side" of the guiding strip :of-lthectemplate; pressure wheels carriedby. the undercarriagefimountedto rotate in i a:-. plane substantiallyparallel to the :pl'aneziof the work for engagement with the other side-of 5:.the; guiding: strip. of Lthe' template; means for yieldingly urgingi said pressure wheels (toward the traction wheel so that thei-tra'ctiorr wheel-sand pressure wheels. can grip the guidin v strip ofthe template between them, a motor onthe: carriage, power transmission means forzdrivingsthe trac- .i-tlOl'l. wheel from the-motor; and. aipressurmwheel g c'arriedii :by the undercarriage: and-.xmounted; ato arotatein .a. plane; .ataright .anglesi toi -.thet-iplane of the work for; engagementiwith: the. .underside -z of the retaining; stripof; the'; template.

2.11AL'template-guided .eself-iprop'elled :acarriage adapted for use with aftempla'tet having. a 3 platelikelguiding strip" disposed substantially at: right ianglesrto. the :plane of the (WOIk'QOVGIxWhiChfith-B 's"carriage is, to "5109. guided and a. .plate.-like -zretaining :strip disposed substantially?parallelcto the yplanejaof', the work,,. said:*carriagenzcomprising a chase; supporting-wheels: at one SldEaOf' thee-base, a guideway on the. base, an undercarriage slidably mounted in;v said. guideway; a; supporting wheel carried by; the undercarriage: 'andclocated 'aiz the ---.opposite sidetot-the base from itheifirst-menti'oned .gsupporting. wheels; a traction wheeli ion ithe: carcriage and mounted to rotate: in a plane-substanstially parallel. to the plane ,of gtheiworkzfor. en-

igageinent with-one. side of [the .guidingsstrip; of Z theuiternplate; pressurewheels .carr-iedtby "the undercarriage :.m'ounted to. rotate in a plane substantially: parallel" to the .plane of :1 the .WOlk for engagement with the other side ofatheiguidihg -strip of the template,- meansfor yieldingly :.urg- -ingi-;said;- pressurexwheelsstowarde the ,rtraction -.-,w heel-. .so ithat the tractiorr wheelaand pressure wheels ;can-L gripthe guidingnistrip :of:=theI-;temnplateF-betweenzj-them, a {motor =-on ,ithe carriage,

power: transmission; means for .drivingzthe-itracvtion wheel from the motor, a pressure-wheelcarried by the undercarriage, and mountedatorotate in: a-;:planeiiatgright' angles to the; .planeyofxithe 76 work "forfiengagement 'with the; underside :ofithe retaining strip of the template, said first-mentioned supporting wheels being mounted so that they are movable a limited amount away from the base in a direction toward the work to an extended position, means for yieldingly urging said first-mentioned supporting wheels toward their extended position whereby the periphery of said last-mentioned pressure wheel is yieldingly urged into engagement with the underside of, the. retaining strip of the template, and means for locking said undercarriage in a position in said guideway in which all of the template-engaging wheels can engage the two strips of the template.

3. A template-guided self-propelled carriage adapted for use with a template having a platelike guiding strip disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the work over which the carriage is to be guided and a plate-like retaining strip disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the work, said carriage having a plurality of supporting wheels for supporting the carriage at least one of which acts as a pivot for the carriage, a guide wheel on the carriage mounted to rotate in a plane parallel to the plane of the work for engagement with one side of said guiding strip of the template, a pair of guide wheels on the carriage also mounted to rotate in a plane parallel to the plane of the work for engagement with the other side of the template guiding strip, means for yieldingly urging said pair of guide wheels toward the first-mentioned guide wheel so that the three guide wheels can grip the template guiding strip between them, a retaining wheel carried by the carriage and mounted to rotate in a plane at right angles to the plane of work for engagement with the underside of said retaining strip of the template, means for yieldingly urging said retaining wheel into engagement with the underside of the template retaining strip, one of the wheels on the carriage being a traction wheel, a motor carried by the carriage, and power transmitting means for driving the traction wheel from the motor.

4.. A template-guided self-propelled carriage adapted for use with a template having a platelike guiding strip disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the work over which the carriage is to be guided and a plate-like retaining strip disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the work, said carriage having two sets of wheels, one set comprising a group of three guide wheels rotating in a plane parallel to the plane of the work for engagement of one of them with one side of the template guiding strip and engagement of the other two with the opposite side thereof, means for yieldingly urging said other two guide wheels toward the first guide wheel so that the three guide wheels can grip the template guiding strip between them, the other set of said wheels including a plurality of supporting wheels which support the carriage and adapted for use with a template having a platelike guiding strip disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the work over which the carriage is to be guided and a plate-like retaining strip disposed substantially parallel to the plane of' the work, said carriage having a plurality of wheels for supporting the carriage and a wheel mounted thereon to rotate in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the work for engagement with the underside of the retaining strip of the template, means for yieldingly urging said last-named wheel into engagement with the underside of the template retaining strip, other wheels on the carriage mounted to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the work and at least one of them mounted for engagement with one side of the guiding strip of the template and the other mounted for engagement with the opposite side of the guiding strip of the template, means for yieldingly urging the wheel or wheels adapted to engage one side of the template guiding strip toward the wheel or wheels adapted to engage the opposite side thereof, at least one of the wheels on the carriage being a traction wheel, and power means on the carriage for driving the traction wheel.

6. The combination of a template-guided selfpropelled carriage and an angle-iron template having a guiding leg disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the work over which the carriage is to be guided and a flange disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the work, said carriage having a plurality of wheels for supporting the carriage and a wheel mounted thereon to rotate in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the work with its periphery engaging the underside of the flange of the template, other wheels on the carriage mounted to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the work and at least one of them engaging one side of the leg of the template and the others engaging the opposite side of the leg of the template, at least one of the wheels on the carriage being a traction wheel, and power means on the carriage for driving the traction wheel.

7. A template-guided selfpropelled carriage adapted for use with an angle-iron template having a leg disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the work over which the carriage is to be guided and a flange disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the work, said car-- riage having a plurality of supporting wheels, a

also including a retaining wheel mounted to motor carried by the carriage, and power transmitting means for driving the traction wheel from the motor.

5. A template-guided self-propelled carriage traction wheel on the carriage mounted to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the work and for engagement with that side of the template leg which is remote from the template flange, power means on the carriage for driving the traction wheel, an undercarriage, wheels carried by the undercarriage and including a retaining wheel mounted thereon to rotate in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the work and so that its periphery can engage the underside of the template flange and pressure wheels mounted to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the work for engagement with that side of the template leg 

